Friends before everything else ( Numb3rs)
by Zanarking
Summary: The first story about Don and his team Ian, going to a trip. They all had to go and he whole point with the trips is to try to save what's left of the team. They all had their's ups and downs, but they have a lot of problems, that makes it difficult for them to stand strong as a team. Will they be able to became a strong team again or will they fall apart?


Numb3rs

"**Friends before anything else"**

The sun was shining and the summer was finally here. It was really warm in LA now and most people was taking some break from their's jobs and they were heading out for the nature. The camping sites were full at this time of year.

Don and his team was had to take some "break" from work and go on a trip together, to make the team "better". But Don knew that was bullshit, it was just political crap, for saying " Your team suck, because it too much personal stuff mixed up in the work and at the workplace". So they had no choice. They had to leave, so Don and his team packed up their's stuff and headed for the camping site.

Ian use to train not so far from the camping site, where Don and his team were going.

Neither of them had seen Ian for month and they wonder where he was. He never picked up the phone when they called. He always been like that. Never stayed at one place for too long. But this time it wasn't so weird why he left in a hurry though. Don and Ian had been in huge fight for a month ago, just right before Ian just took off. Don's boss got so tired of them, so he decided they ALL, had to go on this trip and get back to the team they use to be. No one was sure if Ian was actually was going to show up. Don didn't expect to ever see Ian again, after what he had said to him. He had said the most horrible thinks you can say to a person and Ian said also some nasty thinks. The team had never seen Don or Ian like this. They started to wonder if there were also something else they were fighting about. Maybe something more privet. But who knows? They never talked about themself very much. The team didn't really know anything about Ian or Don. But this fight really destroyed a lot and now it needed to be fixed again, like it use to be.

Don had brought a big pick up truck, so everyone coulde put their's stuff in one car. They all had brought big bags with cloths and tents.

\- I can't actually can't believe that we're going to live outside in the nature for about a week.

Said Liz and put her in the back of the truck. She was really not happy about this.

\- What's wrong, Liz? Scared of insects?

Said Colby and smiled her. He loved to make fun of her, as much as he could. Because it was really funny and Liz actually liked that Colby was like that. It's not many how are like that, who had this kind of job, most people becames very serious like Don. But after all horrible thinks that Colby had seen, he's still that kind of person, who can make people laugh and make very one around him feel better about themself, that comes very handy when they had a bad day.

\- No I'm not scared. I just don't understand why we can't have this thing indoors.

\- Does it really matter? We still have to do this.

Added Don with a irritated voice. Liz just looked at him, but she didn't respond to what he just had said. When he was like that, it was just no point talking to him.

\- Who's going with who? David, you're in my car, right?

Said Colby. He said it mostly to break the ice a little bit. He wanted people to be happier and he thought, that this could be fun. The truth is that Colby actually loved this. He saw this as a early vacation.

\- Yeah, Sure.

Said David and smiled. He was glad, that he didn't have to be in the same car as Don, since he's in such a bad mood all the damn time. Liz looked a bit unhappy though, when she realized she had to be in the same car with Don for the next 6 hours.

\- Hey! Wait for us!

The whole team turned around and looked at the car, that parked behind Don's car.

\- Charlie? What are you doing here?

Asked Colby and smiled. He was very glad to seem them here. Charlie and Amita got out of the car.

\- And Amita!

added David and huged her and Charlie.

\- Were you guys about to leave without us?

Said Charlie and smiled. He looked at his big brother and he didn't look so happy.

\- You guys have to be on this thing to?

Said Liz and got a bit surpised.

\- No, we don't have to, but we want to.

Said Amita and smiled at them all. She thought this could be fun and so did Charlie think. He wasn't much for camping, but he really wanted to hang out with his friends more and this was a perfect opportunity to do so.

"Oh, great". Said Don to himself. He thought the team would be the only once coming to this crap and now his brother is coming too. He knew now that Charlie was going to bring up old memories and talk way too much about math.

\- Where is Nikki? Isn't she coming?

Asked Amita and looked around from where she was standing and she couldn't see Nikki.

\- She's meeting us up there.

Answered Don and he hoped this pointless convensation could end soon, so the could hit the roads soon as possible.

\- And Ian?

Don didn't want to answer, on that one, so he jump inside his car. He knew that he couldn't drive away. Because deep inside he didn't want to and he also thought it might me nice having Liz next to him, in the car for the last 6 hours. It's better to have her, than Colby or anyone else for that matter.

\- No one knows. He haven't return any of our phone calls, so he might meet us up there or he might not. I have called him almost everyday, since he had this big fight with Don, which I still don't understand what's about.

Said Colby and he was a bit upset, because he didn't understand why Ian was shutting him out. He knew why he's acting like that toward Don, but why be like that against Colby. The have became great friends over the last couple of years or that was at least what Colby thought. Maybe it wasn't like that.

\- Let's hit the road, shall we?!

Shouted Don from his car, who was tried of just waiting for them, to finsih their's pointless convensation.

Charlie and Amita took one car, Liz and Don took one, Colby and David took one. They all had their's own way to make the time go faster, when the trip was very long. Charlie and Amita talked the whole way with each other, about work and many other thinks. Liz and Don spoke every 20 minutes or so and if they did talk, they only talked about work. Colby and David put on some old rock music and they started to sing. The volume was very loud and when Don and Liz wasn't talking, they could hear Colby's old rock music.

\- They seem to have a great time.

Said Liz and smiled.

**3 HOURS LATER**

They all wanted a break from the cars, so they stopped at this cheap diner and grabbed something to eat.

\- I'm starving.

Said Colby before they got inside the diner.

They all sat down at the same table and ordered some food.

Most people in the diner talked and laught a lot, but no one was talking at Don's table. Don was definitely not talking, he was pretty much still angry and he couldn't think straight. The only one he had real convensation to, was Liz. She was easy to talk to and she looked also very friendly. Even though Don has a history with Liz, he still could talk to her and trust her.

Colby was tired of the awkward silance at the table, so he made som funny jokes and his friends started to laugh.

Colby and David eat pretty fast and they made jokes through he whole dinner. They made Liz laugh so much, that she forgot to eat. Charlie had problem to understand all they jokes, he smiled at them and made it look he understood them, but he had really no clue what so ever.

When the dinner was over, they got back to their's cars. Before they got inside in their's car, Colby wondered someone else wanted to drive his car. David couldn't because he drank a few beer to his lunch.

\- I can drive your car, Colby. If you want to rest a bit.

Said Liz and smiled. She couldn't stand being in the same car as Don anymore.

\- Okay, sure. Thanks.

Colby throw his carkeys to Liz and she catch the keys with one hand.

\- Then you're with me, Granger.

Said Don and jumped inside his car. Colby gave a fake smile at Don, he got a feeling, that he was going to regret this... sooo damn much.

After being a half hour on the road. Don and Colby haven't said one word to each other. The radio was the only thing, that made any noise. The news was on. A woman talked about the serious murders, that happened in LA. The police started to believe, that is was a serier killer lose in town. Don turned up the volume, a little more to hear better what the news lady was saying. After the news was over, a classic love song started to play, Don turn down the volume little.

\- You listen to the news, but not to the music?

Said Colby and thought it was a bit strange.

\- Yeah... I just wanted to hear about what happened.

\- Why? We're off duty, you know.

\- I know, but that was suppost to be my case, Colby. But instead I'm stuck here, in this damn car and we're going on some sort of ridiculos camaping-thing!

\- Okay, take it easy. I just thought you would like all this. I mean at least now, you can relax and have some great time with us.

Don didn't answer. He looked to his left and he saw a sign. He tried to ignore what Colby said, because he knew where this convensation were headed and he was so not up it.

\- We should turn left here.

Colby knew that Don were going to change the subject, to avoid any convensation, that had to do with feelings and grap like that. It made Colby angry as hell.

Don was slowing down his car and turn left in on a smaller road.

\- Don! Just stop it. Don't cover everything up inside of you. It will kill you one day.

\- Just back off, Colby. I need to concentrate on the road, not on you!

\- You're unbelievable! You had ONE fight with Ian, for god knows what reason and very since then you have been a total pain in the ass, to work with!

Don hit the brakes and Colby didn't see that one coming, so he hit his head into the dashbord.

\- Are you out of your mind!

screamed Colby at Don. He put his hand over his right side of the face. He felt this pain, that spread all over his head.

\- What'a hell it's wrong with you, Don!

Don looked at Colby, he was still angry with him, but when he saw that Colby covered up, half of his face with his hand, he now understood, that he had hurt his own partner and friend.

\- I didn't mean...I

The cars behind, hit the breaks too. David and Liz was in the car behind and they almost crashed in to Don's car.

\- What'a hell are they doing?!

Said Liz and got very angry.

Don got out of the car and so did Colby. They stood both infront of the car and fighting. Colby pushed Don, so he took a few steps back.

They others got out of their's cars too. They walked closer to Don and Colby, because they didn't understand why they stopped the car like that.

Colby punshed Don in the face and when the other saw it, they started to run and they grabbed both Don and Colby. David held Colby back and Liz and Charlie held Don back.

-What'a hell are you guys doing?!

Asked David with a angry voice and the thought his friends have gone insane or something.

-You son of a bitch!

Said Don and got even more angry and he totally ignored David. He had his eyes focused on Colby. They both looked at each other like they were going to kill each other.

\- You know it's true!

\- Come here and say that, Granger! I'm going to punsh you face in!

David pushed Colby so hard, that he fell to the ground. Everyone stopped fighting and they all got quiet.

\- What'a hell, David!

\- You needed to be stopped! Both of you need to stop this!

Colby got up from the ground, he got really angry at David. They all looked at him.

\- So I'm the problem here?!

\- No. But you just punshed your own boss, Ganger!

Said Liz.

\- He deserved it!

Colby tried to attack Don again. But David pushed him back again and Charlie tried to keep his brother away from Colby, as far as possible, so they wouldn't start fighting again.

\- What's going on here?

Asked Amita with a calm voice and she looked upset, she couldn't understand how a great team like this, could turn out like this. It was just so weird. All of it was.

-Ask Don! He's the problem here! Not me!

\- Don... What's going on with you? I can tell, that something is wrong with you.

Asked Amita with a soft voice. She really cared about him and the of her face, Don could really tell that she really did care. She didn't just ask to be nice or anything.

Don took a few step back and calmed himself down, his facial expression completely changed and he looked sadder.

\- Don?

\- Just stop it...

\- Talk to us, Please.

\- No...

Amita took a few step closer to Don, but he didn't want anyone to come closer, so when Amita tried to, Don took a few step back and Amita stopped walking, she understood that she shouldn't try too hard. It would just push Don further away.

\- I don't want to talk about it. I wasn't so unhappy to come here as I seemed. Becasue maybe this thing might take my mind off thinks.

\- Take your mind off what? What happened?

Asked Charlie with a soft voice. He didn't know, that Don was so upset, over whatever that was bothering him. He just wanted to understand his big brother, but he couldn't figure it out. Charlie was the smart one and he could easily tell if people was upset or not. He learned that from Larry, because it was so easy too tell if he was sad or not. But he couldn't see it...on his own brother.

-I lost...a...

That explained Don's bad mood, he was in...all the time.

Don started to cry, so he turn his back on his friends, so they couldn't see that he was cried. They did of course understood, that he was crying.

\- I...I...Lost a friend...for a couple of days ago...

\- Who was it?

\- A agent...I use to know... We just to train together. We joined the FBI together...

\- What happened to him?

\- He just took off...he started to work like Ian does. Always on the road...never stays at one place too long.

\- No. I meant. How did he...you know.

\- He got killed...he got shot.

\- Don, I had no ide. Why didn't you say something to me?

Don turn around and looked at Charlie. They all got a bit surprised to see Don cry. Most of them had never seen Don like this, not even once and they had been working with him for years.

\- And the worst part is...that it wasn't an accident.

\- What do you mean, it wasn't an accident?

\- It was friendly fire...

When Don finally said it, he felt so relieved, but it hurt so damn much in his heart. He thought it was going to break. Don put his hand on his chest ans grabbed on to his shirt. He fell on his knees. Liz got tears in her eyes. She regretted very mean things she had thought about him.

Charlie walked over to Don and sat down infront of him. He huged his big brother. Don cried more now and he huged his little brother, he had never in his life, showed his feelings, but this time he couldn't keep it inside anymore. He was so tired of everything and he didn't believe in his job anymore. Maybe it was the grief talking, but he just felt like if he could quit tomorrow and then he could be alright with it.

Charlie helped Don up from the ground. Don looked at his brother with a kind look and he smiled softly at him. He was thankful to have Charlie as a brother and friend. He looked over Charlie's shoulder and looked at Colby. When Charlie saw that Don was looking at someone, he turned around too.

\- I'm sorry, Colby. I didn't...I...

\- It's okay. I shouldn't haved pushed it like that.

everyone got a bit calmer and Don wad feeling much better, to let go of some of his anger. He took a few deep breaths and he was ready to go. He didn't want to keep having this convensation and specially not here, out of nowhere.

Colby was bleeding from his eyebrow, because he hit his head into the dashbord. But the blood started to dry. But it still hurt like hell and Don felt pain in his face too. His lips on the left side was broken a bit. It was still bleeding a little. They both looked at each other and they felt liked idiots, when they realized what they had done to each other, all this was so unnecessary. They smiled at each other and so did the others too. Then all of them started to laugh at it all. Don laughed loud and he didn't understand, what he was laughing at, but it felt nice to smile again and it felt even better to laugh with his best friends.

\- I don't want to break up the fun, guys. But we need to leave or otherwise we will be late. Nikki is waiting for us.

Said Liz and smiled at them all.

\- Oh! Right, yeah. We need to leave.

Said David and looked at his watch.

\- How much longer do we have to be stuck in thees damn cars?

Asked Colby, who was very sick of the car. He just wished they could just be there by now.

\- About 2 and half hour.

Answered Don. They all got back to their's cars and started to driving again.

The sun was almost down and Nikki had called Liz and asked where they were. Liz sort of explain a little what happened. She wasn't surpised to hear, that Don got into a fight, like he has been acting. She was sort of glad, that someone finally said something. But she also which she was the one who had the guts to say something. But she never did.

Nikki told to Liz, that she meet Ian and they both had fixed their's tents and that they would help them, when they got here, to fix their's. It will of course be a bit difficult to fix the tent in the dark, but they all had brought flashlights, so it might work just fine.

When they all arrived at the camping-site. Don yawned and parked his car in the parking lot. He woke up Colby.

\- Hey, Col. We're finally here now.

Colby woke up and looked around, like was lost.

\- We're finally here? Really?

\- Yeah.

\- Finally. I thought that we wouldn't ever get here. It felt like forever, man.

\- Yeah, tell me about it...

Don and Colby got out of the car and started unpacking the truck. The other helped too.

\- Can someone call Nikki and say that we're here now?

Asked Don. Amita was the only one how had one free hand, so she could put her hand in the pocket and grabb her phone. They others had so much stuff with them.

\- You don't have to call, Amita.

They all turned around and they saw Ian and he had his sniper rifle on his back.

-Ian!

They all shouted and smiled. They wanted to hug him, but they all had too much stuff in their's arms. Ian helped so much as he could. He grabbed stuff from all of them, so they didn't have to carry everything on there own. Don and Ian didn't say hi to each other. They just gave each other very cold looks. If looks could kill, they both would be dead by now.

\- I will show you guys to way. Me and Nikki up our tents, not so far from here.

-Eh... Ian? Why did you bring your gun?

Asked Liz.

\- What do you think? To hunt of course.

Said Ian and smiled. Liz didn't even dared to ask more. She didn't understand if he was hunting for animals or if he was hunting for someone. Someone like a person, maybe wanted one.

Ian took the lead and everyone followed in a long line. Don was the last one in the line and he walked a bit slower and the others. Not on purpose, of course. But he realized, that he packed down too much stuff in his backpack. His back was big, they all use bags that were meant to hiking with. It looks a lot like one of does backs the military are using.

Don could feel, that his back was started to hurt. David turned around and looked if Don could keep up.

\- Don, are you coming?

David only asked because Don was falling behind a lot more now.

\- Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that my bag is to heavy to carry.

\- I wish I would help you, boss. But I have to much stuff with me too.

\- I can see that. You know that we're only gone a week, right?

Asked Don and took bigger step, so he might could catch up with them better.

\- And you should talk?

Said David and smiled.

\- You seem to have even more stuff than me.

\- It looks like you packed for a whole family, Don.

Said David and laughed even more now. It was fun to be able to make fun of his boss agian. The old good days might be back after all.

-Yeah, but I think I over thinked agian. I thought to myself when I was packing, that I needed this and that, so now I have like one million thinks with me.

\- We're almost there now! Shouted Ian.

\- Why're we camping so far from the other? We're like the only who isn't on the camping-site anymore.

Colby pointed that out and he was a bit confused and a bit worried. He had never been here before, so he could totally became lost in a heart beat.

\- Camping-site is for loser, Ganger. We're going to camp in the wild, like people use to do.

\- Why? What if something happeneds?

Said Liz and she was also a bit worried, but mostly because she hated camping.

\- Don't be a such a girl, Liz. We're camping just like the indians use to do.

\- But we're not indians, Ian.

\- Speak for yourself.

Said Ian and smiled.

\- You're native american?

Asked Colby with a surpised voice.. He didn't know, that about Ian. Not that he mind, if he was. But still... would to be nice to know everything about does people he works with everyday, all though. Colby didn't tell anyone about him being a spy, but that was totally different, right?

\- Yeah, I am.

\- Okay, then. I learned something new today.

\- How can you guys have missed that. It's in my file, you know?

Everyone felt a bit stupid now. None of them every read that part, for some reason. Don had of course read it and he also knew about it. It wasn't news for him and he also didn't mind that Ian was indian.

\- I never read that part.

Said Colby and when he looked at David. He saw on David facial expression, that haven't either read that part. Ian started to laugh, he thought that his friends knew that already and he thought he whole situation was a bit funny.

\- You guys. (haha) I have always having the best time with you guys.

The other smiled and thought the samething about Ian.

\- Well, we all feel like that about you too. It's never boring when we hang out with you, Ian.

Said Colby. Ian stopped a bit so Colby would end up walking next to him, instead of being behind him. They talked the rest of the way.

When they finally got there. They saw Nikki and she had prepared dinner to them all.

\- Hi guys. I thought you guys might me hungry.

Said Nikki and smiled at them.

\- Oh, great! I'm so hungry!

Said Liz

\- Me too!

Said Colby. They put all their's stuff on the ground and they all took a seat around the campfire. They all got a plastic plate with a few hot dogs on it.

\- Wow! This looks so delicious!

Said Colby and the others agreed. They all ate and talked for hours. They smiled and laughed and for the first time in a very long time, they all felt alright for once. For a moment they didn't had to care about anything. They all were allowed to just have some fun and just forget about work and everything else that bothered them. This was a moment to remember.

After the nice dinner. They all helped to fix the tents, so the could got to bed. It took a long time before the tents got up. Because Liz tent that she was sharing with Nikki, had like a million pieces and it took like an hour to get all the pieces to fit. The other tents was much easier, but they were also a lot of work too, but not as much.

After like two hours of fixing all tents. They were FINALLY done and now they all could rest. Colby and David shared a tent, they were to tired of carring who's sleeping in the same tent with who, so they chose each other and they both went to bed. It's been a long day and get got'a feeling, that the day tomorrow was going to be even longer.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


End file.
